Metro Schools to convert Kirkpatrick Elementary to charter

Metro Schools added another charter school to its district after the Board of Education voted 8-1 on Tuesday night in favor of awarding KIPP Public Charter Schools the ability to convert low-performing Kirkpatrick Elementary.

School board member Amy Frogge was the lone dissenter.

With the yes vote, KIPP will assume responsibility of the school's kindergarten and first grade at the start of the 2015-16 school year. Metro Nashville Public Schools will operate grades 2-4, but will be phased out of operations by 2018-19 as KIPP assumes responsibility of a grade level every year.

Since the announcement by Superintendent Jesse Register last month that Kirkpatrick was a candidate for the conversion by Superintendent Jesse Register last month, the idea has received mostly positive reactions from parents and the community. And board members said the school met the district's requirements for charter school conversion.

"This is fiscally and operationally responsible," board member Will Pinkston said.

In other board news, Pinkston announced he will be asking the board to vote next month on a moratorium against new schools until the system can grapple with how to balance charter and traditional school growth.

His fear is that new growth is causing a strain on the district's fund balance.

"There's a real resource need," he said.

While some board member said last week they are in favor of the moratorium, others said any reaction about the budget is too soon because the Metro Council and mayor set the budget. Those discussions haven't begun.

Reasons for Kirkpatrick's conversion

• Less than 20 percent of students met grade-level standards for reading, math and science.

• Every student is economically disadvantaged.

• None of the students are projected to score the national average of 21 or higher on the ACT college readiness assessment.

• The students need more resources at school and from family to address social issues that could hurt academic success.